Hongxia Wang

Wang & Buck

Jewellery maker

Casting impressions in lost wax

Hongxia uses a combination of gold and recycled materials
Ancient and 3D techniques fuse to produce unique surfaces
She believes in letting the narrative of a piece develop with its wearer

Hongxia Wang’s jewellery tells a story. Inspired by the shapes of the organic world around us, there is a sprinkle of fairytale dust over everything she makes. Hongxia is interested in textural matte surfaces, textures that continue to deepen the closer you look, just like the fractal spiral patterns of a tree branch. Her pieces look at once ancient and otherworldly. Hongxia creates her pieces by combining gold and recycled materials. She is inspired by cutting-edge 3D techniques, and threads her jewellery using a needle, wax, and a flame. Every piece bears her personality and vision when it is first made, but as it is worn by its wearer, it takes on new characteristics, ageing in a tailored way, so to speak. The storytelling keeps unfolding as the matte surface is changed by the touch of human skin and time.

Interview

How do you use recycled material in your creations?: I use paper, string, and cloth as the base and coat them with wax. I create collages to build 3D shapes. These base materials create different structures in the finished jewellery item during the casting process. Doing it this way ensures a dynamic expression.
How is your jewellery made to achieve such unique textures?: My rings are constructed entirely out of wax. I only use a needle and a flame (alcohol burner). I build the ring layer by layer. You could call it manual 3D printing. Lastly, I use the ancient cire-perdue casting technique, which is metal casting using a wax model.
What makes gold a good material for you?: Gold is a symbolically rich metal. I seek to get the most out of its properties. My matte surfaces heighten the colour and texture. The matte textures look soft and textile-like. When worn, the matte slowly turns shiny and changes over time.
Where do you look for inspiration?: Black and white photo art and its deep details and contrasts speak to me. Equally, I find organisms in nature that communicate with their bodies endlessly inspiring. One piece of jewellery can also inspire the next.

Hongxia Wang is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1999